Since leaving the presidency of Sony Interactive Entertainment America in 2019, Shawn Layden never really left the media space. While tending to his own business with Streamline, which was to promote diversity in game creation in order to reach a wider audience (the only way for AAA to survive according to him), he often been asked about Sony’s strategy in recent years, whether on the issue of subscriptions or on the fact that PlayStation games are offered PC ports. But here he is back in the heart of the industry, and not just anyone.
An adviser who has the bottle
After having been one of the figureheads of Sony, Layden announces via his LinkedIn that he will now work at Chinese publisher Tencent as strategic adviser :
” I am delighted to share that I recently joined Tencent Games as a strategic advisor. In this new role, I hope to advise, assist and support the Tencent team as they deepen their activities and commitments within the industry to which I have dedicated most of my career. We are at a watershed moment in video gaming and interactive entertainment. There are many possible paths, but only a few are deep, inclusive, uplifting, inspiring, and/or lasting. I am excited to continue this journey of discovery and thank Tencent for the opportunity. »
As you will have understood, Layden does not therefore have a decision-making role within the company, but his expertise will undoubtedly be important for Tencent, especially in its expansion across the West. Remember that as a publisher, Tencent is one of the biggest heavyweights in this industry alongside Sony, which makes the announcement of this hiring of Layden even more interesting.